Consider leaving work at 3:15 - after all, that may be all you are paid for!

Women across the country will be walking out of work at 3:15 tomorrow, after completing only 78% of their work day.

This awareness-raising campaign was arranged by NOW (National Organization for Women) to commemorate Equal Pay Day (which is tomorrow, April 20th).

Since women on average still only make 78 cents on the dollar, NOW is encouraging women to take a stand and for just one day to show employers that you get what you pay for.

The lifetime impact of this pay disparity is devastating on many front, particularly for women's financial security and stability.

Read the data about the impact and reality of unequal pay here.

Though it is a bit difficult to walk out of work when you work for yourself, we support NOW and want to call attention to this very important issue.

Not just because we believe in the principles of equal pay but also because we believe that pay disparities have a direct impact on women's ability to become entrepreneurs or self-employed and to properly capitalize a business should they want one.

We are seeing more and more women leave the corporate ranks to strike out on their own only to again experience less financial security and bring in smaller earnings.

We know how bleak the average revenues are for most women business owners (and have written about it before) and we know that women business owners typically start with less capital and experience a higher turnover rate then male entrepreneurs.

In our minds it is clearly a problem that has wide and serious reverberations.

So, help raise awareness about this issue. Consider leaving work tomorrow after 78% of your work day. Reflect on the impact of pay disparity in your own life and in the companies that you work/ed for. Spread the word and support Equal Pay!
posted by Adelaide Lancaster